Traffic-signal



L. A. LAWHEAD. TRAFFIC SIGNA'L. 'APPHCATION H LED APR. 9, I920 PatentedSept, 7,1920.

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LAL AWHEHII.

L. A. LAWHEAD.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR-9,1920.

1,351,857. PatentedSept. 7,1920.

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38 Emm /whet -E-- 83L-A-LAWHEAD- LESTER ALFRED LAWI-IEAID, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. '7, 1920.

Application filed April 9, 1920. SerialNo. 372,608.

To all whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, LESTER A'. LAwrLnAD,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at ing over a tread located ,St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in-Traffic-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and use- -ful improvement in traffic signals and more praticularly to those of the automatic type. An object of this invention is the provision .of a device of this character to be operated by the approaching vehicle passat a suitable distancefrom the signal post. T

A further object of this invention is the provision of suitably constructed treads that will compel the operator of an approaching vehicle to limit his speed whenapproaching a street crossing. I

A. still further object of this invention is the provision of a portable traffic signal one that may be readily removed from the thoroughfare and leave no obstructions thereon, that would mar the beauty efiect of a crossingvwhere the signal is no longer required.

ith the above and other objects in view,-

this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formation, combination and arrangements of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described,- claimed and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a Fig. 2, is a fragmentary sectional view,-

through one of the pits, illustrating in rear elevation one of the treads andits cooperating, parts,

Fig. 3, is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. i, is a vertical sectional view through the signal post and .a portion of the roadway, illustrating the road construction in connection with the signal post and pits,

Fig. 5, is 'a similar view with the signal post removed and the tread inoperative, and

Fig. 6, is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by similar characters of reference throughout, the numeral 10, denotes in general a signal post made of any suitable material and covered by a cap 11 suitably secured thereto. A pair of brackets 12 and 12 are substantially secured to the outside of the post 10 a limited distance below the cap 11 slack in the ro top plan fragmentary view, of astreet crossing, illustrating the appearand have pivotally secured thereto a signal arm 13 and 14,-one .endofwhich extends Secured to the inner side of the signal' ,post 10 and at the upper end thereof, is a plurality of coil springs 2l,'the opposite ends of which engage the clamp 19, while a similar pair of coil springs 22 engage the clamp 20, in the same manner, therebclow, all of which re provided to take up the %es or cables 17, and 18 which below this point'pass through guide pulleys 23 secured to the inner wall ofthe signal post 10 a suitable distance from the bottom thereof, to permit the crossing of the ropes or cables 17 and 18 to the opposite side of the signal )ost 10 to engage the ends of suitable cab es 2% entering a cement pit 25 formed directly below the signal post 10.

Extending from the pit 25 and laid .beneath the cement surface 26 of the street,is a series of guide tubes 27- through which the cables 24 pass and engage at the opposite ends thereof a hinged link 28, the ends of which are pivotally secured to levers 29 and 30, pivotally mounted in brackets 31 and 52 embedded in a wall of a larger cement pit 33,located asuitable distance from the first mentioned pit 25. A connecting link 3 and 35 pivotally connects the opposite ends of the levers 29 and 30 with rocker arms 36 and pivotally mountedin suitable brackets .38 and 39 also embedded in the cement bottom of said pit.

The opposite ends of these rocker arms 36 and 37 in-turn are pivotally connected at 40 with plates 41 and 42, each of which have a tongue 13 formed integral therewith to engage a recess 4A formed at opposite sides, in the lower surface of a tread 45, while at opposite ends of each of said plates 4:1 and 42 and on the opposite side to that of the tongue 43, are formed integrahtherewith a substantial leg 4:6 each of which is engaged by a suitable and substantial coil spring 47 all of which are adapted to hold the tread as in its normal position.

The operation of this device is as follows 1 The operator of a vehicle approaching any one of the treads 4.5, will limit his speed considerably so that his vehicle will ride smoothly over the elevated and rounded edge, designated by the letter A, of each tread and as soon as the front wheels of the,

vehicle ride upon said tread the same will be forced downwardly by the weight of the vehicle thereon, thereby forcing the rocker arms 36 and 3 7 in a downward direction at their point of connection with the tread and being pivotally mounted in brackets 38 and 39 will in turn draw inwardly toward said brackets the levers 29 and 30 through the medium of the links 34 and 35.

As these levers 29 and 30 -are drawn inwardly their opposite ends will draw, inward the hinged link 28 to which is secured the end of the cable 24, thus it will be readily seen that a pulling movement is created upon the cable 24 and as this cable engages at its opposite end one of the ropes or cables 17 or 18 a like movement will be transmitted to the same, then to the rope or cable 16 which is secured at its opposite end to one of the signal arms 13 or'l4 -which will be drawn downwardly, being pivotally mounted in either bracket 12 or 12 until said signal arm extends from the signal post 10 in a horizontal position thus giving warning to approaching vehicles upon the oppositely crossing street that a vehicle on vthe opposite street is entitled to the right of way and that they must wait until he crosses before they attempt to do so.

It'will be readily seen by referring to Fig. 4, of the accompanying drawings that each signal arm 13 and 14 is connected up so as to be operated by two treads 45,- independently, the ropes and cables being so arranged and crossed within the signal. post 10 so as not to interfere with the independent operation of either or any of the treads. It may be advisable to refer to Fig. 1, of the drawings, which clearly illustrates the idea that the treads indicated in this particular view by the letters N and 1 S operate the signal arm 14, which in this view is shown extending horizontally from the signal post 10, assuming that a vehicle is passwhile those indiarm 13. It is also to be understood in this connection that while the tread S is in operation the tread N will remain in its normal position, likewise all of its cooperating parts, with the exception of the rope or cable 18 which will'then have considerable slack therein which will be taken up however, as soon as the operating tread is forced back into its normal position by the coil springs 47. Then the coil springs 21 will automatically take up the slack in the rope or cable 18. The same operation takes place with each tread and its cooperating parts as well as with the other signal arm 13 during the operation of this device.

from the thoroughfare and to permit this operation, I have provided and substantially secured to the lower end of the signal post 10 a band 48 which forms a suitable shoulder for engagement with a cast iron trap 49 suitably embedded in the cement surface 26 of the roadway. This trap, I have provided with threaded apertures 50 for the reception of screws 51 passing through the lower edge of the signal post 10 as a means for substantially holding said post in position. Thus it will be readily seen that access to the interior of the signal post 10 may be readilyv obtained by swinging open the door 52 suitably located in said post, the screws 51 may then be removed, the cables 24 disconnected from the cables or ropes 17 and 18 and the entire signal post 10 lifted out from the trap 49, a lid 53 substituted, thus leavingthis portion of the roadway unobstructed.

The treads 45 are then lifted. off of the plates 41 and 42 the rocker arms 36 and 37 and levers 29 and 30, disconnected and the coil springs 47 together with the levers and rocker arms removed fromthe pit 33, the "plates 41 and 42 are then reset in said pit and the tread 45 replaced thus leaving the upper edge of the tread flush with the surface of the roadway and the entire roadway unobstructed as clearly illustrated by Fig. 5, of the accompanyingdrawings.

It is now thought that the above description together with the accompanying drawings, sufficiently set forth the construction and operation of this device, to enable those familiar with this art to readily understand the construction, operation and many advantages of the same. It should be understood however, in this connection, that various minor changes in the details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims,- without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

From theforegoing disclosure taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that I have provided a traflic signal of the automatic type, which is simple in construction and operation and will fulfil all of the necessary requirements of such a device.

Having thus fully described this invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A signal, comprising a signal post, a plurality of signal arms secured thereto, a plurality of treads connected with each of said signal arms and each of said-treads arranged in spaced relation to each other on ed to move said signal arms.

2. A signal, comprising a signal post, a plurality of signal arms secured thereto, a series of treads arranged within a suitable radius of said signal post and in spaced relation to eachother, means connecting said treads with the signal arms whereby said arms may be moved and means forpermitting the independent operation of said signal arms and treads.

3. A signal, comprising a signal post, a plurality of signal arms secured thereto, a flexible member connected with each of said signal arms, means connecting said flexible member with a plurality of flexible mem' bers, a cable connected with each of the last mentioned flexible members, a tread connected with each of said cables, means for holding said plurality of flexible members in their normal position and means for holding each of'said treads in their normal position.

4. A signal, comprising a signal post, a plurality of signal arms secured thereto, a flexible member connected with each of said signal arms, means connecting said flexible member with aplurality of flexible members, a cable connected with each of the last I mentioned flexible members, a tube as a housing means for each of said cables, a hinged link engagingthe opposite end of each cable, a plurallty of levers connected therewith, a link connecting each of said levers with a rocker arm, a plate connected with each of said rocker arms, a tread mounted upon said plates and means engaging each of said plates for holding said tread in its normal position.

5.A signal, comprising a signal post, a plurality of signal arms secured thereto, a flexible member connected with each of said signal arms, ineans connecting said flexible member with a plurality of flexible members, a cable connected with each of the last mentioned flexible members, a tube as a housing for each of said cables, a hinged link engaging the opposite end of each cable, a plurality of levers connected therewith, a link connecting each of said levers with a rocker arm, a plate connected with each of said rocker arms, a plurality of legs formed integral with each of said plates, a tongue formed integral with each of said plates, a coil spring engaging each of said legs and a tread. having a plurality of recesses formed therein, each of which is adapted to receivesaid tongue to assure the .55

proper adjustment of said tread upon said plates. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand LESTER ALFRED LAWHEAD. 

